


Nightbrothers' Bake Shop

by RoeDusk



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Families of Choice, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25246060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoeDusk/pseuds/RoeDusk
Summary: Feral is the first one to meet their shop's newest regular.  It only takes two months for Maul to meet him too.A short Bake Shop/University AU inspired by blackkat's Hawks universe and all the comments on Tumblr.
Relationships: Darth Maul & Mace Windu, Feral & Mace Windu, Feral & Savage Opress
Comments: 18
Kudos: 123





	Nightbrothers' Bake Shop

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [hawks and hounds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25204624) by [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat). 



It's only been a week since the grand opening and Feral can already see the difference the location makes. The old bakery had been a hole-in-the-wall place in a rough part of town, and though the local gang had seemed to appreciate their cakes they'd never gotten many other customers. This new place is in a winding back alley in the dead-zone between campus and the shopping district, but that just means finding it has become a treat to students and professors alike.

He hasn't always enjoyed service work, but Feral greatly appreciates the chance to run the store on his own here without his brothers insisting it's too dangerous. Plus they have chairs behind the counter, which is a beautiful idea someone should tell the rest of retail about.

Now that working doesn't mean he's constantly exhausted or on edge, Feral finds he likes the personal aspect of it. Remembering people's faces comes easily to him and it feels like a personal victory when they end up smiling as they leave. He's started making a game of it with any new customers, seeing how many guesses it takes to figure out what will make them happy.

It's around four in the afternoon on a Wednesday when the newest challenger arrives, checking their address on a slip of paper before pocketing it and heading inside. He's older than Feral, which always makes him think Professor, but could possibly be a Grad student instead, he certainly looks tired enough for it. A bit threatening looking to, but Feral knows threatening looking guys can be perfectly nice, and the tired smile he gets in response to his greeting seems decent enough.

"You look like you could use a coffee," Feral offers once the man makes his way to the counter.

"I suppose it's that obvious?" Their newest customer asks with a tired chuckle. "What do you recommend? Something with caramel, if you have it."

"The caramel espresso's pretty good. Do you want that for here?" Feral offers, pulling out a clean mug when the stranger nods. "And do you want a cake with that?"

The stranger glances at the display thoughtfully. "You happen to know which of these Maul made?"

Feral blinks, but brushes it off as someone who's had something his brother baked at the old shop.

"Maul bakes almost everything we sell. But if you're looking for something he decorated too then I'd suggest the mini spice cakes, should taste pretty good with your coffee."

"One mini spice cake then," the stranger agrees with another quick smile, nodding agreeably as Feral rings him up.

The new guy makes his way to a little table with the coffee and his cake. Once there he pulls out his phone for a picture of the cake, which Feral thinks is kind of cute. He makes sure to clean his plate before putting it in the return bins and waves on his way out. All in all a nice guy. Feral hopes he comes back again soon.

* * *

* * *

Cake picture guy comes back the next Monday looking slightly murderous and twitchy, but he gives Feral a sincere smile when he makes it to the counter and asks for something Maul baked.

"Any preference?" Feral asks, glancing over to check he knows which cakes are Savage's designs.

"After this morning I figure I deserve something sweet," Is the long-suffering response. "Other than that, whatever you'd recommend trying."

"The neapolitan was only just sliced," Feral offers, pulling out one of the slices when the man nods. "Anything else?"

"No, that sounds about perfect." The customer responds with a smile. "What do I owe you?"

After paying he wanders over to a seat to enjoy his cake, but not before Feral catches him taking another picture with a smile.

He can't help but grin as he turns to help the next customer in line. It's nice to have their work appreciated.

* * *

* * *

It takes two more visits before Feral gets photo guy's name. It's late afternoon on a Thursday and photo guy is the only one in the shop. He surprises Feral by speaking up abruptly, asking if he's attending the local University.

"I think I might have seen you on Campus yesterday," the customer explains with a half shrug at Feral's startled look.

"Oh no, I'm not attending. But my brother is. That was probably when he suggested we meet up for lunch between classes yesterday. Do you work there?

"I'm a professor in the College of Sciences," Photo guy nods. "Specifically Materials Science, but they also ask me to help with some of the intro classes when I have the time."

"That's stress testing construction materials right?" Feral asks after a moment. "I think I watched a documentary about that once."

That earns him a raised eyebrow. "I'm impressed, most people don't know that much."

Feral blushes and goes back to loading the dishwasher. "I had a period where I wanted to know everything there was to know about architecture, is all. So, you have a name, Professor?"

"And if I don't?"

Feral pretends to consider it.

"Well, I suppose just 'Professor' could work."

The professor in question laughs.

"I'm Mace Windu. Professor Mace is fine, or Professor Windu if you really have to."

"Your students insisting on being polite?"

The professor rolls his eyes.

"When I started I was able to get them to drop the 'Professor' altogether. But the older I get the harder it seems to be for college kids to see me as an equal. Even my TAs do it sometimes as a joke, makes me feel old."

Feral nods, "So, would Mace be better? Or should I stick with Professor?"

That earns him another of those genuine smiles.

"Mace is fine."

* * *

* * *

It's about the second time after learning Mace's name that Savage finally catches a glimpse of the man. With classes and schoolwork during the day he tends to work evenings instead, and Mace usually visits early, between classes.

But Savage gets a few afternoons off during a symposium two of his teachers are going to speak at, so he's helping Feral and practicing his cake decorating when Mace walks in. The professor pauses on his way to the counter and smiles at the current cupcake.

"That's a pretty good rendition of the library. And the student center. Did you make all of these yourself?"

Savage flushes and nods, barely glancing away from the cupcake he's almost finished.

"I'm learning from my brother, but sometimes I just want to experiment, and I figured some of our regulars might like them."

"They look really well done," Mace agrees, smiling as Savage finishes and glances up at him. "Did your brother teach you how to make them?"

Savage blinks, startled for a moment, before nodding. "Yes sir, Maul does most of the baking, but he's teaching me how. I've been enjoying the chance to draw with something as unique as icing. And cooking the cakes."

"He was always good at explanations," Mace agrees fondly. "And those cupcakes look good enough to eat. Would you mind if I grabbed one of the ones you finished?"

Feral grins as his brother blushes again and hands over one of the cupcakes to be rung up. Mace flashes him a grin as he finally steps up to pay.

"What about you? I know your coffee skills are excellent, do you do any cake designs?"

Feral shakes his head with a laugh, "Who, me? I can't get the icing to work for me without breaking the cake trying. Unless little log cabins made out of kit-kats count."

"They absolutely count," Mace decides. "Put a little drop of icing in the corners to hold them together, maybe some fruit in the middle if you want, and you've got your own cake."

Feral blinks, designs already building in his mind as Mace smiles and makes his way to his preferred table. When he glances over Savage is making a note on their store grocery list to buy some kit-kats the next time they're at the store.

"I'll get a couple of flavors in case you want to make an alternate colored roof," he offers, and Feral can only nod.

Mace takes a photo of his cupcake with a fond smile, making Savage blush again, and Feral finds he's actually jealous. He waits until the professor finishes eating and ducks around the counter while he's putting his plates in the return.

"So, uh, thanks." He offers as Mace turns to him. "I wouldn't have thought about it that way, so I… when do you think you'll be back again? I'll make you one."

"When do you want me to come back?" Mace asks. "My schedule claims I have time off every day, it's just that my paperwork usually eats it."

"We would need to go to the store first?" Feral manages, not certain what to say after being put on the spot.

"How about Tuesday afternoon?" Mace offers. "That should give you nearly a week to fit in a grocery run and any experimentation. And it can be my reward for making it through the monthly staff meeting."

Feral nods mutely, but manages a smile when Mace smiles at him. He ducks behind the counter after the professor leaves and rests his head on the till.

Savage slides the rest of his cupcakes into the display case silently, ducking into the back to wash his hands and hang up his apron. Then he comes out to pat Feral on the shoulder.

"You good here for a bit? I'll run to the store and get you some candy so you can impress the Dean."

"He's a Dean?" Feral asks, sitting up abruptly. "He said he was a Professor! We bonded over him teaching Mechanical Sciences!"

"He does. But he's also the Dean of Sciences," Savage replies. "He's the one who sorted out that mix-up with my science credits and got me into Professor Dooku's art history class instead."

"No wonder Professor Plo knew him," Feral muses. Then he makes shooing motions at Savage. "Then you'd better go. I definitely want to make a good impression on him now."

* * *

Savage comes back with ten different packets of kit-kats in 5 flavors and promises to go buy more of the ones Feral ends up using. It takes a little practice before he's happy with the icing holding the sections together, but Feral finally feels like the walls won't just cave in or bow outward if he leans anything on them.

The roof is a little more complicated, he doesn't like the flat tops he has at the start, but keeps struggling to keep his angled attempts stable. Maul finally gets fed up and tells him he can cut the kit-kats shorter if he needs to, and that turns out to be exactly what he needed.

As Tuesday rolls around Feral experiments with fruit before giving up on finding one that pairs ok with kit-kats. Instead he puts a few peanut butter M&Ms in the inner corners for color. And the finishing touch is an extra row of mint kit-kats for the roof shingles. He makes three of them and hides them in the back until after the lunch rush, when he moves them out into the display. When Mace shows up at two he spots them immediately and smiles. Feral finds himself blushing as he rings him up.

Mace takes a picture of Feral's little cabin right there on the counter and it's both uplifting and embarrassing at the same time. Savage is teasing him about it later that evening when Maul comes out of the back room to help close up.

"Who exactly was Feral trying to impress?" Their brother asks with a furrowed brow, like he'd somehow missed Savage's commentary the whole previous week. Honestly he probably did.

"Professor Mace," Savage replies. "He's one of the Deans at the University, and gave Feral the idea to make his kit-kat buildings into a product for the store."

Maul freezes abruptly, his eyes narrowing. "This… _professor_ , he's taller than I am, dark skinned, bald?"

Savage and Feral share a look.

"Yeah?" Feral agrees cautiously.

Maul's hand inches over to grip the edge of the counter and keep from fidgeting. "And has he been coming here often?"

"At least once a week since we opened," Feral replies, concerned. "He started off always asking for anything you made. Do you know him, brother?"

Abruptly Maul lets go of the counter and stalks back into the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind him.

Savage and Feral trade looks again.

"I believe that's a yes," Savage muses, and Feral can only nod in bewildered agreement.

"But how do they know each other to get a reaction like that?"

* * *

Maul doesn't come up to their flat until late that night, and Feral isn't sure he slept because Maul's already up when he and Savage come down that morning to see if Maul wanted any breakfast.

They find Maul pacing the store kitchen in frustration, waiting on all the ovens baking at once. He accepts food only after Savage threatens to take over for a few minutes, and as soon as the first timer rings he immediately goes back to cooking. Savage gives Feral a shoulder squeeze for good luck before heading to class, and Feral leaves Maul on his own to go get the store ready for opening.

The cakes Maul has finished are stunning, and taking up most of the display case by the time his brother's manic energy finally calms down. Maul drags Feral back to the kitchen in a lull to point violently at a small chocolate iced cake.

"You know when he's usually here. If Mace comes by sell him that one."

Then he wanders upstairs, hopefully to finally sleep.

Feral was pretty sure Mace wouldn't be there the day after he made whatever excuses to get out of paperwork to come eat kit-kats. But around four he does actually show up. He manages a tired smile as he heads for the counter, and Feral holds up a hand to stop him before he can offer his usual greeting.

"Maul heard you were in here yesterday and made a special cake. You mind waiting for a moment while I go grab it?"

"By all means," Mace replies with a raised eyebrow.

Feral retrieves the cake and as soon as he sees it a smile breaks out across his face.

"That's just like Maul. Thank him for me? How much do I owe you?"

Feral watches Mace take a picture like always, then take another after his first careful slice and a final one of the empty plate with nothing on it but a fork and crumbs.

He has a cheery smile on his face the whole time, and thanks Feral again after returning his dishes.

Maul comes down an hour later and sees the cake gone.

"What did he say?" He demands, emerging from the backroom during operating hours for the first time in weeks and startling Feral.

"He, uh, said it was just like you? And he took a lot of pictures, so I think he must have really liked it?"

Maul nods at that, then returns to the kitchens just as abruptly.

Feral stares after him in concern, but then another customer walks in and he has to scramble to keep up with an early start to the after-work rush.

* * *

"Once a week?" Maul demands the next morning, having actually gotten a decent night's sleep for once. Feral is still waking up and mildly confused by the question, but Maul stays staring at his face until he replies.

"Oh, Mace, right. Yes, he usually comes in once a week."

Maul nods and heads downstairs to start the usual morning baking, leaving Feral to struggle back to sleep for another hour before his alarm is set to go off.

Savage only offers a sympathetic shrug when Feral complains about it over breakfast.

"I think abrupt action is brother's reaction to most things. But he baked him a cake, that has to mean something."

And Feral can't really disagree with that. Only, next week is the same thing, this time with angry strawberry cakes three days in a row before Mace shows up. The cake gets another smile and another photo, along with an apology for Maul for making him bake the same thing three days in a row.

Maul only scoffs at the apology and locks himself in his room.

After that Mace makes a point of showing up on Monday afternoons, and every time Maul has another angry cake for him. They're into the second month of this when Feral finally has enough and ropes a concerned Savage into helping him corner Maul.

"Why are the cakes so important?" He asks, crossing his arms when Maul glances around the room for a change of topic. "Come on, you're kind of freaking me out here. Savage too."

Maul deflates a little, glancing up at their brother before shaking his head.

"I just need to prove I am better now," he offers finally. And Feral, well he isn't sure what to do with that, so he just lets him go.

* * *

* * *

"I'm hesitant to suggest it, but Maul did mention his foster father worked at the University" Savage says at breakfast the next morning, and Feral valliantly resists the urge to spit take.

"What, no! Even if someone as nice as Mace could be that asshole, why would Maul bake cakes for him?"

Savage shrugs. "Like I said, I don't want to think that about the professor, but if anyone would consider revenge baking it's Maul."

Feral has to admit that's true. But it bothers him to think that the guy he spent hours chatting with about his childhood dream of becoming an architect could possibly be the jerk who tried to get Maul to run scams for him before throwing him out on the street.

So, before he can make any decisions he regrets he decides to actually do the adult thing and ask Maul who Mace is.

His brother stares at him for a long moment before studying the dough in front of him.

"He's someone I tried to rob as a teenager," Maul speaks up finally. "And instead of turning me over to the cops he enrolled me in his baking class."

It takes Feral a few seconds to realize what that means.

"Wait, Mace is the guy who taught you how to cook? The guy you said inspired you to start your own bakery and indirectly allowed Savage and I to find you? That guy?!"

Maul hums affirmatively.

Feral scrubs at his face for a moment, then nods. "No wonder he kept asking about your cakes."

When Maul throws Feral out of the kitchen he's blushing.

At least he can tell Savage Mace isn't Maul's asshole foster dad.

* * *

* * *

Next Monday Maul follows Feral out of the kitchen when he comes back to grab Mace's cake. Mace's grin is softer when he sees him, but no less bright.

"Maul. You look well."

"You too, Mace." Maul replies, and for a moment the store is silent.

Maul catches himself just short of fidgeting and seems to decide something, vaulting over the counter to stand in front of Mace. One hand comes up to grab the older man's jacket before he hesitates again. Just as Feral's contemplating saying something Maul sighs and buries his face in Mace's shoulder.

"How were the cakes?" Maul asks, muffled, and Mace smiles fondly.

"Excellent. You really outdid yourself."

He lifts a hand to rest on Maul's shoulder, and after the first twitch Maul doesn't flinch away. It's the closest Feral has seen anyone get to hugging his brother and he makes a mental note to tell Savage the technique later.

After a long moment Maul steps back, and Mace lets him go without a fuss.

"What are the pictures for?" Maul asks, his head cocked slightly to the side. "You didn't post them on your site, I checked."

Mace actually looks a little embarrassed at that.

"I decided I wanted some new decoration for my wall. I hope you don't mind."

"They're your pictures of cakes you paid for," Maul replies with an eyeroll. "Do what you want with them."

Mace smiles and nods. "I'll let you know when it's finished. Speaking of, you three have any plans for the holidays?"

Feral blinks, and even Maul looks a bit suspicious.

"A family meal," Maul decides after a moment. "Nothing fancy, but it's ours."

Mace nods slowly, "Well I'm planning a Family dinner with my foster daughter and her new kid. I wanted to extend the invitation to you three as well."

Feral freezes at that, and he can see Maul freezing too. Surprising him again Maul recovers first, but turns to check his reaction before answering.

"Whatever you want is fine with me," he reassures his brother quickly. "You know Savage would say the same thing if he wasn't in class. And we can cook some of the dishes here before bringing them over, assuming Mace doesn't live too far?"

"Just across town," the professor agrees.

Maul nods slowly, gaze flicking between the two of them. "Then I suppose we'll accept your offer. Get me a list of what we can bring and we'll get it done."

"Desert and whatever favorites you can't have the holidays without," Mace suggests with a shrug. "Depa plans to make some sort of stew she swears Caleb loves. Which leaves me with the turkey and all the sides."

"We'll be there," Maul repeats, meeting Mace's gaze. The professor gently squeezes his shoulder in response, and Feral finds himself smiling.

* * *

There are cakes painted on the wall in Mace's kitchen. Feral's pretty sure he recognizes them too. Even the empty plate by the outlet, with a fork and a few crumbs on it, is familiar.

"When you said you were decorating the walls I assumed you meant prints or something," he tells Mace as he puts down the box of seasonal cupcakes. Then his eyes catch on Savage where his older brother has spotted the University cupcake painting and is blushing faintly. "Wait a minute, is my kit-kat cabin on here too?"

"It's over by the fridge," Maul tells him, putting the pot with the ham roast down on a hot plate. "And I should have expected this. You don't need that many photos for the Wall of Success in the cooking classroom."

Mace shrugs as he checks the time. "I put a bunch of them up there anyway, along with your brochure."

"And the ones he keeps in his office. He's been recommending your shop to anyone who sits still long enough," Depa informs them from the doorway, keeping one eye on Caleb where he's helping Savage finish the salad.

Mace just shrugs, "I recommend good restaurants, is it my fault none of the others measure up?"

Feral really wishes he had Maul's complection at this point because he's pretty sure everyone can see his blush. Caleb, bless him, glances from Savage to Feral and back before turning to his mom.

"Depa, when is Grey getting here?"

"He called half an hour ago to say he was still at least 40 minutes out. If the traffic wasn't terrible we might be able to see him in 10-15 minutes."

"If he lives so far away how is he going to get his share of the leftovers home?"

"He could use a cooler," Maul suggests. "Or you might have to help him eat enough that he doesn't have any leftovers to take home."

Caleb looks around at the counters covered in food and makes a face. "I don't think I could eat quite food enough for that."

Depa laughs, leaning forward to ruffle his hair. "Well then, I suppose we'll have to bring his share of the leftovers home with us, and Grey can just stay at our place for a while."

That finally makes Mace look up from the bowls of mashed potatoes he's running through a ricer.

"There something going on that I should know about?" He asks Depa, who smiles and shakes her head.

"Not yet. Maybe someday, but nothing now. Today he's just here to visit Caleb."

Mace hums disbelievingly, and turns to meet Caleb's gaze.

"Well, I suppose if I decide I like him you'd better grow up extra cute to keep him around."

Caleb laughs and salutes him.

Maul smiles as he watches the exchange, brittle and wistful as always but with something calmer about him. Feral catches Savage's eye and they exchange a look.

It's not quite time to think about providing for a kid, but if Maul ends up wanting to they'll support him the whole way. Feral's pretty sure Mace will too, they'll just have to make sure to keep the professor in the loop.

* * *

It's late and Depa has already headed home with Caleb. Grey is chatting with Feral and Savage in the living room, derailed in his plans to follow after her by some movie debate Feral started.

Maul makes his way to the kitchen to help clean up and Mace follows him.

"You know I had the whole day tomorrow planned for cleanup, right?" The older man asks, but sets about working on the bigger pans while Maul starts on the plates.

It's calming, working together again, and terrifying in a way Maul's unfamiliar with these days. He's come to accept that Savage is serious, Feral and him aren't leaving, but he isn't certain about Mace yet.

"I didn't know you had brothers until I started coming by the shop and saw how they talked about you," Mace speaks up finally, breaking the silence. Maul nods slowly.

"I didn't know either. Savage found me, remembered me from the orphanage and tracked me down. Even though I'd forgotten them, forgotten most of my past. They... he found our birth mother, and she pointed him to me before cutting him out of her life again."

Mace nods, "Feral mentioned her once, and I have to say I'm glad I got to meet you and not her. Us foster kids need to look out for one another."

Maul blinks, that sentence twisting something loose he's been wondering for a while.

"Is that why you taught me to cook? Because I was a foster child?"

"Partly," Mace agrees. "But I didn't know that when we met that first time. All I knew is you were angry, and it reminded me of myself. Figured you could use some place to vent but I knew you weren't just going to trust me, hence the baking. At least in class I could let you punch the bread dough without consequences."

There's a warm feeling in his chest that's been occurring more often lately, but Maul ignores it.

"Punching more than just dough."

"Yeah, well, I knew you didn't start that fight before they even tried claiming you did."

"Not very diplomatic of you. What would the school think of their Dean punching lowlifes in the face instead of talking them down?"

"Probably sell tickets," Mace agrees ruefully, then smiles. "I wasn't just going to leave you there alone, though."

It hurts to hear, somewhere in his chest. The same way it hurts when Savage greets him in the morning and listens to him when he explains how to bake. The way it hurts when Feral brings him a sandwich in the kitchens even though it's been a busy day at the counter. Maul has to look away.

"I'm still not certain I believe you."

"I'll be here when you decide," is Mace's reply. And that's something Maul finds himself believing.

The strangest part is he doesn't mind. Maul usually hates talking to customers, only coming out to throw out assholes who try to make life tough for Feral. But Depa seems nice enough, and she's threatening to come try their cakes now that she's heard about the kit-kat houses. Grey is in the other room asking Savage about his major, with Feral putting in his two cents every time Savage hesitates. 

Mace decorated his kitchen with pictures of Maul's cakes, and somehow that feels alright rather than like something embarrassing and strange.

"Tell me about this bake sale fundraiser you're pawning off on me," Maul decides, pointedly rolling his eyes at Mace's protests that he's paying for supplies so it's a commission. It's leading up to finals week, so they'll need someone other than Savage to man the stall, and Maul will be in the bakery with Feral. But Mace is sure his TAs can take the stand if they need to. Plus it's free advertising for the shop.

Not a bad start to the holiday season, though next year they're coming over for Halloween too. Maul has an idea for a jelly filled cake that he wants to adapt into a skull and he knows exactly who he wants to try it out on.

**Author's Note:**

> (That moment when your brother's father figure shows up looking for him at his new bakery and winds up adopting you as well without your knowledge.)
> 
> Not edited as much as I would like, but I'm posting it anyway. Hope it's enjoyable.
> 
> As mentioned above this was inspired by blackkat's [Hawks verse](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1825195), specifically _hawks and hounds_.  
> Also all of these Tumblr posts:  
> [Mace sounds like Maul](https://blackkatmagic.tumblr.com/post/623370047809847296/i-dont-know-why-but-i-read-mace-as-maul-in-the), [Opress Brother's Bakery](https://blackkatmagic.tumblr.com/post/623371228896444417/opress-brothers-bakery), [Angry backroom Baker Maul](https://blackkatmagic.tumblr.com/post/623371590580764672/mauls-not-allowed-out-of-the), [Mace and Maul with competing bakeries concept I sadly didn't end up using](), [Angry pie crust](https://blackkatmagic.tumblr.com/post/623397489829167104/i-dunno-about-that-lovehate-thing-with-baking), [Palpatine working at the University](https://blackkatmagic.tumblr.com/post/623398405040996352/i-feel-like-palpatine-would-be-that-one-ultra), and [Cakes with love, pies with anger](https://blackkatmagic.tumblr.com/post/623429697173356544/re-maul-mace-baking-if-cakes-need-to-be-filled). Thanks for all the inspiration everyone.


End file.
